INTERNATIONAL TRADE & CAPITAL INVESTMENT

Ever since the founding of the PEJA group in 1937, the core business has always been international trade and capital investment. Setting up global business relations and engaging trade in equipment, electric components, raw materials, chemicals and FMCG have formed the basis for a solid organisation with a rich history in building financial en political bridges between east and west for over 80 years…

KEY FIGURES

PEJA HISTORY

Peja producten was founded in 1937 by
Peter Burgers and Jakob Steven Stenfert. The company started by selling imported houshold appliances from Germany in the Netherlands.

Because of heavy bombardments in Rotterdam and the war with Germany Peter and Jakob are forced to pause all activities. They both decided to start their own company. The dispute about the use of the name Peja was horribly resolved when Peter Burgers died during a bombing.

Peja moves to the AVM building in Arnhem city center. After the war there is a very high demand for furniture and houshold appliances. Business is blooming for Peja.

During the 50s Peja transforms from a trading company into an intermediate partner for companies trading between East and West Europe. Creating opportunities for a commission and sole representation form the basis for Peja´s new business model.

The Marine Industry business provided great opportunities for Peja in the 60s. With the existing contacts in East Germany Peja was able to win contracts for several Dutch companies to build 12 coastal ships and 3 freighters with motors from VMF STORK.

During the 70s PEJA had offices and representatives in East Germany, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Czechoslovakia, Mozambique, Angola, Vietnam and Cuba. About 500 FTE´s in market-specialized holdings were responsible for over 60% of the Dutch export.

After two years of construction the new office building of the PEJA group (white building on the left) was finished. Currently the whole property including all the warehouses on the right are owned by Peja and house Peja personnel and a rich variety of company daughters.

In the 80s PEJA focussed its activities on Eastern Europe and Russia. Because of PEJA Heineken beer is able to enter the Russian market. 90% of the group turnover is earned on the other side of the Berlin wall. Until 1989 when the wall falls.

By the beginning of the 90s PEJA had excellent relations with China and decided to partner with a large electric motor factory. DUTCHI MOTORS was born and became a strong player in the European electric motor market with superior quality at low prices.

From 1990 to 2008 DUTCHI MOTORS became a mayor global player in the electric motor industry and attracted the attention of Regal Beloit; of one of the largest electric motor companies in the world. In 2008 DUTCHI MOTORS was sold to Regal Beloit for $34 million.

From 2010 PEJA focussed its activities more towards Real Estate and Capital Investment. New property and daughter companies were acquired or setup in the Netherlands, Germany, China, Russia and the U.S.

Innovation and numerous business requests have been the root to the creation of a new PEJA group daughter Omec Motors in 2012 and the success that follows on today.